Impasse
by Fairady
Summary: There are some things that she likes about Malik. They almost make up for the one thing she truly hates. Gender-bend, Altair x Malik.


Disclaimer: I own not, though I'd sell what's left of my soul to own some of the wardrobe from the game.

Warnings: Gender bending, AU.

Notes: Misfire fill for the kinkmeme. For some reason they always get longer and more serious than I want them to be. Formerly called "He'd hit it, but it'd hit back. Harder" because I was sleep deprived and loopy at the time of writing it.

Impasse  
by Fairady

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Altair's breath exploded out of her as a fist was introduced to her stomach with enough force to make her stagger and almost lose her sword. She turned her stagger into a backwards roll. Regaining her grip and saving herself from an even more painful follow through as Malik's sword whistled through the empty space she had occupied.

Altair licked her lips tasting sweat, blood, and that tantalizing hint of something else that had distracted her enough for the other novice to get a punch in. She forced herself to ignore it and the pain in her stomach as she stood sneering, "I thought we agreed to _sword_ practicing, Malik."

"You bit _me_!" Malik growled, taking several steps back. His guard and eyes never wavered from her even as he reached up to feel the broken skin on his neck. "Sharp as your fangs are they don't count as swords, Altair."

"Everything is permitted," Altair took the time to regain her stance. Eyes flicking down Malik's form. Taking in the way he favored his right leg and the way sweat made his clothing stick to his chest. She licked her lips again, disappointed when she only tasted the salt of her own sweat. "Even dirty fighting."

"Then you shouldn't complain about a punch," Malik leapt forward, pressing her hard with a flurry of strikes.

Altair blocked them, feeling the burn in her arms only vaguely as exhilaration coursed through her. Malik was holding absolutely nothing back as they exchanged blows in the abandoned practice court. He swung with all his strength and did not hesitate to exploit any weakness in her forms.

There was stopping the fight when she tripped over her own feet and fell to the ground. Only the stinging pain of a cut across her shoulder as she wasn't fast enough to roll away. There was no one around to pull her out and escort her to the healers, as if the minor scratch were a sucking chest wound. There was only the sharp pain in her back as she threw herself upwards. Leading with her own sword and scoring a cut across Malik's weak knee. There was no muttering about luck or any of those other platitudes used so often to deny the fact that she was as good as- No, _better_ than the other novices.

They backed off and began to circle each other. Each of them looking intently for a point of weakness.

This was one of the things she liked about Malik. The way he treated her as an equal, simply accepting that she was a woman _and_ an Assassin. Something that few of her mentors and none of the other novices did. It was why she went to him so often. Dragging him out of his bed in the middle of the night to get the practice that she needed if she was going to pass the trials to become a Master Assassin.

Malik paused, eyes flicking up to the barely visible moon before he relaxed. Dropping the point of his sword down to show he was finished. "It's very late, Altair. We should-"

Altair _jumped_. One hand flicking the flat of her blade against the inside of Malik's wrist, making him drop his weapon. Her other came up with her elbow and slammed across Malik's chest winding him and pushing him off balance enough for Altair to knock his feet out from under him. Malik went down with a grunt and she followed quickly. The sharp edge of her sword nestled against his throat as she sat on him grinning. Malik scowled up at her. His dark hair was wildly mussed, and she could ifeel/i the heat radiating off of him from where her legs pressed against his chest. "I win."

This was another thing she liked about Malik. He was so pretty when irritated and sweaty. Especially when he was under her like this. She watched a bead of sweat roll down his throat near the bloody mark left by her teeth, and licked her lips remembering the faint taste. She leaned down intent on getting more.

"Must everything be a contest with you?" Malik rolled under her. One hand smacking the sword out of her hand while the other dug into the soft flesh where her shoulder met neck. Altair cried out at the shock of pain. Unable to prevent Malik from rolling over and pinning her to the ground.

"Yes!" Altair grunted as she squirmed for leverage, his weight completely on her chest making it hard to breath. She kicked her legs up, wrapping them tightly around his waist pulling him even closer. Her snarl turned into a smile as she purred, "It makes everything so interesting."

Malik rolled his eyes. A sigh escaped him as he broke her hold and stood up, completely unaffected, "Altair, some types of dirty fighting are not worth the trouble they cause."

Altair let him go and watched as he picked up their practice swords. Frustrated, she rolled over onto her stomach to watch. "You're wrong. I think the trouble is well worth it."

The swords clattered as Malik set them back into the stands. "Would Esam agree to that?"

Irritation immediately bubbled up at the mention of the name. Esam, the biggest novice who had thought the size of his manhood would be enough to make her forget their practice match and spread her legs for him. Had believed it right up to the point where she had forcibly readjusted it for him. Altair rolled to her feet and glared at the back of Malik's head. "Esam is an idiot. _That_ trouble was all of his own doing!"

"He is an idiot, but," Malik turned around to fix her with a skeptical look, "I know how you like to fight, Altair. There are a lot of idiots like Esam in the world who would take your dirtier tactics the wrong way, and eventually you're going to met one that you can't beat- Altair!"

She ignored him, stalking out of the ring angry enough for it to choke her. No, choke _him_! Growling curses about idiotic men she went back to her bed alone. Again.

That was one thing she _hated_ about Malik. How completely and utterly oblivious he was.

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End file.
